BAI Launch Access Rules

After a public consultation process the BAI have announced details of broadcaster access rules for the Hard of Hearing, Deaf and Blind Communities. These rule will provide access to Audio Descriptions, Subtitling and Irish Sign Language (ISL) provisions.

Subtitling has been part of the broadcasting landscape since the mid-1980s providing for the first time access to TV broadcasts for Deaf viewers. Most broadcasters provide some subtitling on their programmes. The new rules as set out by the BAI suggest the following percentage of programmes to be subtitle for each year until 2016.

2012

2013

2014

2015

2016

RTÉ 1

78 - 83%

80 - 85%

82 - 87%

84 - 89%

85 - 90%

RTÉ2

53 - 60%

56 - 62%

60 - 66%

63 - 69%

67 - 73%

TV3

39 - 43%

41 - 45%

43 - 47%

45 - 49%

47 - 51%

TG4

36 - 42%

40 - 46%

44 - 50%

47 - 53%

51 - 57%

3e

10 - 14%

13 - 17%

16 - 20%

19 - 23%

22 - 26%

Setanta Ireland

6 - 8%

7 – 9%

8 – 10%

9 – 11%

10 – 12%

CCTV/DCTV/P5TV

1%

2%

3%

4%

5%

Additional channels such as RTÉ One +1, RTÉjr and RTÉ News Now will be reviewed at a later date, however the rules state that if a programme in its original broadcast had subtitling then it must have subtitling on extra channels.

RTÉ will be the only broadcaster to have to meet in-vision ISL and Audio Description (AD) targets. CCTV/DCTV/P5TV can off set their Subtitling service targets with ISL and AD.

2012

2013

2014

2015

2016

RTÉ One & Two AD

1%

2%

3%

4%

5%

RTÉ One & Two ISL

1%

2%

3%

4%

5%

Broadcasters will also be required to introduce a standard set of on-screen symbols to advise viewers when services are available. The next review of these rule will take place in 2014 and 2016.